Why Didn't I Get Hired?

The job interview process is stressful, it makes sense to ask yourself “Why didn't I get hired?” anyone would be disgruntled about a rejected application.

Tips to Get Yourself Hired

What is surprising is that our top reasons why candidates don't get selected are actually pretty simple to correct.

Listed below are the major justifications that a recruiter will use to make the decision to pass over a candidate's application. Use some of these tips to remediate your situation and possibly improve your chances of actually getting hired during your next interview.

Top Reasons Why You Didn't Get Hired

Underqualified
The job posting has qualifications listed for a reason, and if you applied for a job that you do not have the skills or background to fulfill, you won't be selected, it's as simple as that. Don't expect to be hired if you do not meet all the requirements listed.

To preclude this situation from occurring, pay close attention to the qualifications section and use your judgment as to what you think you can get away with. Certain positions are more flexible than others so it is not always a bad thing to apply for a job when you do not have the specific degree for it. As long as your certifications have some relevance you may land an interview.

Improper Dress
First impressions are everything during an interview, and if you are dressed like a slob the employer is going to remember you, but in a bad way. If you are spending more time getting ready to go out to dinner than you are to go to your interview, you need to rearrange your priorities.
If you are unsure about what the appropriate dress code is for an interview, see our guide on how to dress for a job interview.

Ineffective Resume Targeting
Your resume needs to be tailored to fit your specific application. A lot of candidates are turned down merely because their resumes are ineffective at capturing an employer's attention. Not only should your resume contain relevant, eye-catching information, but it should have a neat and organized appearance. There are more resume tips where those came from.
For more information about resume targeting, see our guide about this important technique.

Errors in Your Portfolio
All of your documents including: your resume, cover letter, and application should be free of typos, grammatical errors, and inaccurate information. Having errors on important documents such as these are insulting to the recruiter who reads them and embarrassing for you by submitting them.
This mistake is one of the easiest to fix, and yet this is one of the most common reasons why people do not get a job.

Inappropriate Behavior
During the interview you must be polite to everyone you encounter at the business. You don't know who you will meet. Maybe that person you were rude to in the elevator holds some weight in the decision of whether you will be hired. You don't want anything to come back and haunt you in the future, so be on your best behavior.

The next mistake is also one of the most common reasons why people get passed up for the position. Bad-mouthing previous employers or workplaces just seems to be everyone's favorite thing to do in an interview, but these things are the worst thing you could say! Not only is it inappropriate, but it isn't contributing anything to your interview whatsoever. The interview is supposed to be about your skills and how you can improve a company, not how awful your previous workplace was.

Lack of Knowledge
It is your responsibility to research the company prior to your interview. The recruiter has every right to quiz you about the job, company, and general knowledge of the field of study. If you are caught off guard and do not know basic information this is going to reflect poorly on you.

However, that is not to say if you do not know the information that you should lie. Do not fabricate any of your answers because this will be worse than if you just honestly tell the employer you don't know.

Forgetting to Thank the Interviewer
Why Didn't I Get Hired? You should always send a thank you email within 24 hours after your interview. Forgetting to do so is considered rude and bad form. Everyone thanks the recruiter and if you don't, you will be remembered negatively from the group of other applicants.

If you find yourself doing any of these things, which may be the answer to your question, “Why didn't I get hired?” The positive thing is that you have the opportunity to fix all these unwanted issues. So before you apply for another job be sure that any problems are resolved and you may have better luck getting selected. You can press the button below if you would like to write your free resume.